Religion notes: Sept. 21

Published: Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 5:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 20, 2013 at 1:43 p.m.

Agudas Israel receives senior outreach grant

Agudas Israel congregation in Hendersonville recently received a grant from the BJH Foundation for Senior Services for its congregational nursing outreach.

According to the National Jewish Population Survey, the U.S. Jewish community is rapidly aging, doubling to more than a million from 1957 to 2012. In addition, recent economic and legislative changes have resulted in cuts for many federal and state programs that serve older adults. Helping fill the funding void, the Greensboro-based BJH Foundation recently awarded more than $203,230 in grants to 21 programs focusing on improving the lives of Jewish older adults across North and South Carolina.

With an endowment in the millions, BJH Foundation has granted more than $1.4 million over the past seven years to qualifying nonprofit organizations. Grant awards of up to $25,000 each help nonprofits cover expenses for food, mailings, supplies, educational materials and salaries for social workers, congregational nurse staff and other necessary expenses.

Visit www.bjhfoundation.org to learn more about the 2013 programs.

Meet LDS missionaries to Hendersonville

Meet the representatives from The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints — Elder Flynn and Elder Forsyth — at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Hendersonville church at 2005 Brevard Road.

Everyone has seen them riding their bikes with white shirts, dress pants, ties and neatly trimmed hair. These young men are dedicating two years of their lives to serve in the Tennessee Knoxville mission, which includes Hendersonville.

Although they share the same mission, Elder Forsyth grew up in a small town in southern Utah, working construction and farming. He easily could have been raised in North Carolina by displaying a love for riding horses, farming, camping, hiking, hunting, four-wheeling, country music and trucks.

On the other hand, Elder Flynn is from Gilbert, Ariz., and placed college on hold to serve his mission. He loves the outdoors as well, but his passion revolves around music. Being in the symphony and the drum line in high school nurtured his love for making and listening to music.

Call 828-489-1938 for more information.

Choral Evensong at St. James on Sept. 29

The choir of St. James Episcopal Church will sing Choral Evensong at 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at the church, 766 N. Main St., Hendersonville, as part of the sesquicentennial celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the church.

The choir will sing "Magnificat" and "Nunc dimittis in F" by Peter Aston, "Anglican" chant by Edward Bairstow, and "Prayers and Responses" by Richard Ayleward. Anthems will be "Through the Day thy Love has Spared us" by Phillip Moore and "Fear Not, O Land" by William Harris.

The service will be followed by a piano recital by Andrew Rogelberg, who was active as a pianist, accompanist and teacher in New York for many years. In 2012 his fondness for the Blue Ridge Mountains prompted him to return to his family's home in Hendersonville. He is the music director of Hope United Methodist Church in East Flat Rock. Rogelberg studied at The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Fla., as well as Indiana University and the New England Conservatory.

Rogelberg will play works by Debussy, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff.

Call 828-694-6925 or email brad@stjamesepiscopal.com for more information.

Marksmen Quartet to sing in Hendersonville

The award-winning Marksmen Quartet will bring their unique style of gospel music to the Gethsemane Baptist Church, 1315 Old Spartanburg Road in Hendersonville at 6 p.m. Sept. 29.

The group was nominated in 2013 for Society for Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America Contemporary Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year, an award they have received four times in the past.

Their 2013 Dove Award nominated release "This Is My Crowd," from Rural Rhythm, is a diverse collection of songs designed to reach as many people with the gospel message through a mix of bluegrass gospel, country inspirational, old-time Southern gospel, a touch of convention singing and even some blues, according to band member Mark Wheeler.

The four-time Country Gospel Quartet of the Year winners from the Country Gospel Music Guild will perform many of their hit songs, including "He Is I Am," "Meet Me In Heaven," "Potter's Wheel," "Preach the Cross" and "Grandpa Was a Farmer."

A love offering will be received. Call 828-692-4977 or visit www.marksmenquartet.com for more information.

St. Francis Day retreat scheduled for Oct. 5

A retreat in celebration of St. Francis Day facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Canham is set for 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 5 at Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher.

The retreat celebrates the wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi with an emphasis on his love of creation and all creatures. Francis has been called "the most loved and least emulated saint." He is popular as a garden statue, but he had a passion for God, willingness to confront authority, love for Scripture, and care for the Earth.

The retreat will include presentations, music, times of personal reflection, corporate discussion and exploration of the relationship between his teaching and our responsibility to care for our planet.

Registration deadline is Sept. 30. Call 828-684-6266 to register.

Guild of Change Ringers to meet at St. James

The annual meeting of the North American Guild of Change Ringers is Wednesday through Sept. 29 at St. James Episcopal Church, 766 N. Main St., Hendersonville.

The St. James Guild of Change Ringers will host visiting ringers from around the United States and from Canada and Britain during training events at the St. James Bell Tower, one of two change-ringing towers in North Carolina.

Visiting and local ringers will participate in a training course on Thursday and Friday and in service ringing on Sept. 28-29.

The St. James Tower is one of 44 such bell towers in the United States. There are eight towers in Canada. Change ringing began in England in the 17th century and followed Anglican settlers to commonwealth nations. The North American Guild has about 500 members. The majority of practitioners, about 40,000, live in England, where there are about 5,000 towers.

The bells were traditionally and are still rung to call worshipers to services, to commemorate the lives of those who have died, and to celebrate weddings and other special events such as the inauguration of a president or, as recently, the birth of a prince.

Ringing will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Sept. 28 and prior to the 9 and 11:15 a.m. services on Sept. 29.

<p><b>Agudas Israel receives senior outreach grant</b></p><p>Agudas Israel congregation in Hendersonville recently received a grant from the BJH Foundation for Senior Services for its congregational nursing outreach.</p><p>According to the National Jewish Population Survey, the U.S. Jewish community is rapidly aging, doubling to more than a million from 1957 to 2012. In addition, recent economic and legislative changes have resulted in cuts for many federal and state programs that serve older adults. Helping fill the funding void, the Greensboro-based BJH Foundation recently awarded more than $203,230 in grants to 21 programs focusing on improving the lives of Jewish older adults across North and South Carolina.</p><p>With an endowment in the millions, BJH Foundation has granted more than $1.4 million over the past seven years to qualifying nonprofit organizations. Grant awards of up to $25,000 each help nonprofits cover expenses for food, mailings, supplies, educational materials and salaries for social workers, congregational nurse staff and other necessary expenses.</p><p>Visit www.bjhfoundation.org to learn more about the 2013 programs. </p><p><b>Meet LDS missionaries to Hendersonville</b></p><p>Meet the representatives from The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints — Elder Flynn and Elder Forsyth — at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Hendersonville church at 2005 Brevard Road. </p><p>Everyone has seen them riding their bikes with white shirts, dress pants, ties and neatly trimmed hair. These young men are dedicating two years of their lives to serve in the Tennessee Knoxville mission, which includes Hendersonville. </p><p>Although they share the same mission, Elder Forsyth grew up in a small town in southern Utah, working construction and farming. He easily could have been raised in North Carolina by displaying a love for riding horses, farming, camping, hiking, hunting, four-wheeling, country music and trucks.</p><p>On the other hand, Elder Flynn is from Gilbert, Ariz., and placed college on hold to serve his mission. He loves the outdoors as well, but his passion revolves around music. Being in the symphony and the drum line in high school nurtured his love for making and listening to music. </p><p>Call 828-489-1938 for more information.</p><p><b>Choral Evensong at St. James on Sept. 29</b></p><p>The choir of St. James Episcopal Church will sing Choral Evensong at 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at the church, 766 N. Main St., Hendersonville, as part of the sesquicentennial celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the church.</p><p>The choir will sing "Magnificat" and "Nunc dimittis in F" by Peter Aston, "Anglican" chant by Edward Bairstow, and "Prayers and Responses" by Richard Ayleward. Anthems will be "Through the Day thy Love has Spared us" by Phillip Moore and "Fear Not, O Land" by William Harris.</p><p>The service will be followed by a piano recital by Andrew Rogelberg, who was active as a pianist, accompanist and teacher in New York for many years. In 2012 his fondness for the Blue Ridge Mountains prompted him to return to his family's home in Hendersonville. He is the music director of Hope United Methodist Church in East Flat Rock. Rogelberg studied at The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Fla., as well as Indiana University and the New England Conservatory. </p><p>Rogelberg will play works by Debussy, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff. </p><p>Call 828-694-6925 or email brad@stjamesepiscopal.com for more information.</p><p><b>Marksmen Quartet to sing in Hendersonville</b></p><p>The award-winning Marksmen Quartet will bring their unique style of gospel music to the Gethsemane Baptist Church, 1315 Old Spartanburg Road in Hendersonville at 6 p.m. Sept. 29.</p><p>The group was nominated in 2013 for Society for Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America Contemporary Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year, an award they have received four times in the past.</p><p>Their 2013 Dove Award nominated release "This Is My Crowd," from Rural Rhythm, is a diverse collection of songs designed to reach as many people with the gospel message through a mix of bluegrass gospel, country inspirational, old-time Southern gospel, a touch of convention singing and even some blues, according to band member Mark Wheeler.</p><p>The four-time Country Gospel Quartet of the Year winners from the Country Gospel Music Guild will perform many of their hit songs, including "He Is I Am," "Meet Me In Heaven," "Potter's Wheel," "Preach the Cross" and "Grandpa Was a Farmer."</p><p>A love offering will be received. Call 828-692-4977 or visit www.marksmenquartet.com for more information.</p><p><b>St. Francis Day retreat scheduled for Oct. 5</b></p><p>A retreat in celebration of St. Francis Day facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Canham is set for 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 5 at Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher. </p><p>The retreat celebrates the wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi with an emphasis on his love of creation and all creatures. Francis has been called "the most loved and least emulated saint." He is popular as a garden statue, but he had a passion for God, willingness to confront authority, love for Scripture, and care for the Earth. </p><p>The retreat will include presentations, music, times of personal reflection, corporate discussion and exploration of the relationship between his teaching and our responsibility to care for our planet. </p><p>Registration deadline is Sept. 30. Call 828-684-6266 to register.</p><p><b>Guild of Change Ringers to meet at St. James</b></p><p>The annual meeting of the North American Guild of Change Ringers is Wednesday through Sept. 29 at St. James Episcopal Church, 766 N. Main St., Hendersonville.</p><p>The St. James Guild of Change Ringers will host visiting ringers from around the United States and from Canada and Britain during training events at the St. James Bell Tower, one of two change-ringing towers in North Carolina.</p><p>Visiting and local ringers will participate in a training course on Thursday and Friday and in service ringing on Sept. 28-29.</p><p>The St. James Tower is one of 44 such bell towers in the United States. There are eight towers in Canada. Change ringing began in England in the 17th century and followed Anglican settlers to commonwealth nations. The North American Guild has about 500 members. The majority of practitioners, about 40,000, live in England, where there are about 5,000 towers.</p><p>The bells were traditionally and are still rung to call worshipers to services, to commemorate the lives of those who have died, and to celebrate weddings and other special events such as the inauguration of a president or, as recently, the birth of a prince.</p><p>Ringing will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Sept. 28 and prior to the 9 and 11:15 a.m. services on Sept. 29. </p><p>Call 828-778-6650 or 828-693-0319 for more information.</p>